News

The BBC has released a striking feature on Mangystau, one of Kazakhstan’s most mysterious and visually captivating regions. “The Alien Lands Once Hidden Beneath the Ocean” highlights the area’s stunning natural beauty and otherworldly landscapes.

Mangystau’s geological wonders

The video follows 27-year-old local guide Gaukhar Yessirkepova on a 700-kilometer journey through the vast Kazakh steppe. Along the route, she introduces viewers to Mangystau’s geological wonders. These include the layered slopes of Mount Bokty, the vividly striped Kyzylkup Canyon — nicknamed «tiramisu,» the surreal Ybyktysai Gorge, and the castle-like cliffs of Bozzhyra.

Producers describe Mangystau as a...

A unique escalator taking passengers up to the summit of scenic Lingshan Mountain in Jiangxi province, eastern China, has opened. According to MetroTV, its length spans an impressive 1,236 meters. The structure consists of 10 sections, each 50 meters long.

The new facility is part of an ambitious domestic tourism development initiative, which has made the route to the summit much easier. Travelers now need just 10 minutes to reach the peak, instead of the two-hour walk it once required.

Lingshan is famous for its natural beauty, with 72 peaks and 108 rock formations, and the height of the...

L’Oréal will acquire Kering’s luxury beauty portfolio for €4 billion, boosting its standing in high-end cosmetics and fragrances, according to Euronews.

The deal grants L’Oréal a 50-year license for Kering’s leading fashion houses, including Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, and brings the niche fragrance brand Creed under L’Oréal’s ownership.

Kering CEO Luca de Meo said the sale will accelerate growth in the company’s beauty segment and create new wellness opportunities. L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus described the acquisition as a strategic alliance, expanding L’Oréal’s presence in luxury beauty and niche fragrances.

The two French companies also plan to...

Just off Michigan’s northern coast, Mackinac Island offers a glimpse into a slower, car-free way of life that has endured for more than a century, the BBC reports.

Home to around 600 year-round residents and an equal number of horses, this 3.8-square kilometer island in Lake Huron has prohibited motor vehicles since the late 1800s, making it one of the few places in the U.S. where transportation still relies on horses and bicycles.

The vehicle ban reportedly began after an early automobile startled horses in 1898, prompting local authorities to outlaw internal combustion engines. The rule was soon...

Kazakhstan placed 44th out of 89 countries in Numbeo’s global traffic index, scoring 136.3 points — a measure where higher numbers indicate heavier congestion and lower transport efficiency, according to Finprom.

The study evaluated average commute time, driver satisfaction, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and the overall efficiency of national transportation systems in the first six months of 2025.

How Kazakhstan compares

The average one-way commute in Kazakhstan was 35.8 minutes. The country’s transport inefficiency index was 141.3, reflecting residents’ heavy reliance on private vehicles and the limited appeal of public transportation. Kazakhstan’s CO₂ emissions linked to daily commuting...

Pilot projects to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks are set to launch in Kazakhstani schools, Primeminister.kz reported following a meeting between Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kazakh IT developers.

Developers from the Paradigm Shift (CodiPlay) company reported on the progress of implementing the new solutions:

AI Kitap — a digital textbook that uses AI to adapt learning materials to each student’s level, analyze their progress and identify knowledge gaps. Integration with Astana IT University is currently underway.

OlympIQ — a technology platform for sports development that collects and analyzes athletes’ medical, organizational and analytical data.

Schools and sports governing bodies...

A majority of South Koreans avoid conversations about death or end-of-life decisions with their families, according to a recent study by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, The Straits Times reported.

The think tank surveyed adults across the country on their perceptions of death and dying. About 54% of respondents said they had never spoken with parents, children, spouses or siblings about death, terminal illness or treatment preferences. Nearly 58% said they had never heard family members discuss those topics either.

The study explored the concept of «dying well,» which emphasizes dying peacefully and with...

China’s economy expanded at a slower pace in the third quarter, weighed down by continued weakness in the property sector and renewed friction in trade relations with the U.S., according to the BBC.

Official data released Monday showed China’s GDP rising 4.8% year-on-year in the three months ending September — the country’s slowest growth rate in a year and a decline from 5.2% recorded in the previous quarter.

The slowdown follows Beijing’s recent decision to impose broad restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals, key components in the global electronics supply chain. The move has intensified tensions with...

On the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, Russian blogger and photographer Daria Bulaeva and her fiancé celebrated a spectacular wedding inspired by the hit series «Game of Thrones.»

The ceremony took place on the ice and evoked the grandeur of Westeros royalty. The couple and their guests wore medieval-style clothing accented with wolf pelts, while torches flickered in place of dragon fire. Baikal’s natural ice patterns served as a striking backdrop, symbolizing the strength of their union.

«Blue as the eyes of the White Walkers,» Bulaeva captioned a video of...

On Oct. 19, Manchester United beat Liverpool away in the English Premier League. Delivering an assist, Portuguese player Bruno Fernandes moved into Manchester United’s top five assist leaders in Premier League matches, according to OptaJoe.

English Premier League

Matchweek 8, Oct. 19, 2025

Liverpool vs. Manchester United: 1-2

Goals: Cody Gakpo (78’); Bryan Mbeumo (2’), Harry Maguire (84’).

The score was opened in the second minute. United’s newcomer from Cameroon, Bryan Mbeumo, tapped in a pass from Amad Diallo. In the 78th minute, Liverpool’s Dutch winger Cody Gakpo scored an equalizer.

Six minutes before...

Two airport security officers were killed early Monday after an accident involving a cargo plane from Dubai at Hong Kong International Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 747 operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates, struck a security patrol vehicle and pushed it into the sea, as reported by Reuters, citing the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

All four crew members on board escaped unharmed, but the two airport employees were pulled from the water without signs of life. One was pronounced dead at the scene and the other later in the hospital. The accident marks Hong...

Kazakhstan will ban agencies from creating their own mobile apps, consolidating all public services into a single super-app, according to the government’s Digital Headquarters, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

The headquarters is a high-level body overseeing AI development and digital transformation. Its latest initiative seeks to create a more secure and user-friendly digital environment by integrating all government mobile services into the existing eGov and Aitu platforms, following the SuperApp model, the cabinet stated on its website.

Officials intend the move to eliminate inefficiencies caused by the proliferation of separate government apps.

Notably...

South Korea’s low-cost airline Jeju Air reported buying its seventh Boeing 737-8 jet, bringing its fleet to 43 passenger aircraft. The carrier also noted that it plans to take delivery of one more Boeing 737-8 before the end of 2025, Yonhap reported.

According to Chosun Biz, this purchase marks an increase in the carrier’s number of owned planes rather than leased ones. Jeju Air now has 12 aircraft under ownership — five Boeing 737-800NG and seven Boeing 737-8 aircraft.

“The company is making efforts to establish the infrastructure for sustainable growth by securing price...

Prince Andrew allegedly sought police help in 2011 to gather personal details about Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of abuse as a teenager, Times Live reported, citing The Mail on Sunday.

The news broke days after Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title. On Friday, the 65-year-old royal and younger brother to King Charles III announced he would stop using the title, after years of public backlash over his association with the late U.S. financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Notably, in 2022, authorities stripped Andrew of his military roles and royal patronages amid sexual misconduct allegations...

Magzhan Ilyassov, formerly Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland with concurrent accreditation to Iceland and Ireland, has been appointed the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States of America.

Biography

1996–1998: Assistant and attaché, Department of International Organizations and International Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

1998–1999: Third and second Secretary, Department of the United Nations and International Economic Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

1999–2007: Served in the International Visits Department of the Presidential Protocol of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

An analysis of financial statements from Kazakhstan’s 10 largest mining companies shows that last year was exceptionally strong for the industry. Total revenue rose 16%, while net profit surged 85%. All major indicators — including production, capital investment and exports — showed solid growth.

Production, investment and exports in 2024

The value of mining output climbed to 15.5 trillion tenge (about $33 billion). In real terms, the sector expanded 8.9%, according to GDP deflator calculations—well above the overall national economic growth rate of 6.3%. The rebound marks a clear recovery after two years of decline. In 2022, mining...

For decades, scientists have debated whether willpower is an exhaustible resource or a renewable skill. The concept of ego depletion, introduced by psychologist Roy Baumeister, suggested that self-control draws from a limited mental energy pool.

In his classic experiments, participants who resisted eating cookies later showed less persistence on unrelated tasks. This idea likened willpower to a muscle — tiring with use, but growing stronger through training. Though later studies questioned the universality of ego depletion, the core insight remains: cognitive control relies on measurable neurobiological and psychological resources.

How willpower works inside the brain

Willpower operates in...

It is now permitted to work longer than usual in Greece. The country’s parliament has approved a bill enabling employers to set a 13-hour workday, the Athens News Agency reported.

Under the new rules, an extended workday will be allowed only three times a month and up to 37 times per year. At the same time, employees have the right to refuse extra shifts without the threat of dismissal. Authorities believe this measure will make the labor market more flexible and modern.

What workers think

However, labor unions and parts of society are unhappy with these changes...

Singles’ Day, China’s largest shopping festival, is starting five weeks early this year as retailers try to boost spending in a slowing economy, according to the BBC.

Traditionally held on Nov. 11, the event began in mid-October this year, coinciding with the end of the country’s Golden Week holiday. Major platforms, including Taobao, JD.com and Douyin, have already launched «11.11» promotions, offering discounts and vouchers to attract shoppers.

Retailers and officials hope that a longer sales period will spur greater consumer spending, which is important to support economic recovery as the country deals with weak demand, high youth...

In Peru, at least one civilian was killed and dozens of police officers were injured in nationwide protests against recently elected President Jose Jeri, according to Reuters.

The demonstrations erupted on Wednesday night as protesters expressed anger at alleged government corruption and the authorities’ inability to address rising crime, citing these as key reasons for their opposition to Jeri.

As a result of a clash with local police, at least one man, Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, died from a gunshot wound. Police said Luis Magallanes, a currently suspended officer, fired the shot after being physically attacked by the protesters. Authorities...

Between January and September 2025, Kazakhstan’s domestic trade grew 8.8%, driving economic growth along with transportation and warehousing (up 21.2%), construction (up 14.9%) and industry (up 7.4%).

Wholesale trade

During the period, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover reached 52.8 trillion tenge (approximately $98 billion), a 14.5% year-on-year (YoY) increase. The physical volume of services grew 8.8% YoY, largely driven by strong wholesale sales.

From January through September, wholesale trade grew 9.6% (9.8% in January-August), suggesting a possible slowdown.

Most growth came from nonfood products, which made up 81.9% of wholesale trade.

Retail sector

Retail, comprising 33.2% of total trade turnover, grew...

Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting of the board of directors of Kazakhstan’s national wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, attended by the fund’s digital board member with voting rights — SKAI (Samruk-Kazyna Artificial Intelligence).

The neural network is powered by Alem LLM, a large Kazakh-language model, and was presented to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the 2025 Digital Bridge international forum.

During the meeting, participants reviewed the fund’s performance results for the first nine months of 2025 and the implementation of the president’s instructions on major infrastructure projects.

Nurlan Zhakupov, chairman of the board of directors, noted that...

A museum in Wiesbaden, Germany, has seen a surge in visitors after Taylor Swift’s new music video spotlighted «Ophelia,» a painting on display there, the BBC reported.

Museum staff reported that crowds flocked in over the weekend as fans arrived to admire Friedrich Heyser’s early 1900s painting. It appears at the beginning of Swift’s new music video «The Fate of Ophelia» from her latest album «The Life of a Showgirl.»

The artwork drew viral attention online after the museum confirmed its connection to the video, attracting both local visitors and international fans.

Officials embraced the...

India rejected drug companies’ requests to delay the year-end deadline for plant upgrades set after deaths from contaminated cough syrup, according to Reuters.

India’s $50 billion pharmaceutical industry comprises about 3,000 companies operating over 10,000 factories. Larger companies lead the market and have already upgraded their facilities, while smaller manufacturers worry that the new rules may force them out of business.

A government order issued in late 2023 requires all drugmakers to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to prevent contamination and improve testing. Many small companies were supposed to meet new standards by December 2024. Then, the deadline was...